Collaboration with Rice University in Houston, TX

KRÜSS instruments for cutting-edge research

Our latest collaboration with Rice University in Houston, Texas supports research of functional polymers for coatings or for the use in enhanced oil recovery. The laboratory, equipped with KRÜSS instruments, also serves to provide training and comprehensive consultancy for our customers in the southern region of the United States.

Rice University in Houston, Texas, founded in 1912, is one of the top twenty universities in the United States. Cutting-edge research in many sectors singles out the private university which, inter alia, is closely associated with the USA's space program.

Our collaborative partner at Rice University, Prof. Rafael Verduzco, leads a polymer research group in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The team's polymer specialists investigate functional macromolecules for technical and medical use, and analyze various related interfacial phenomena.

"Many of our students have already gained experience in contact angle measurement and surface and interfacial tension investigations. Surface effects play a central role in almost all our research fields. To be able to use KRÜSS instruments directly in our laboratory is a major benefit for us", says Prof. Verduzco regarding the new collaboration. He also puts a great emphasis on placing surface analytical methods to his students in a practical sense. Having direct access to KRÜSS instruments enables the students to address the surface-chemical aspects of their tasks more comprehensively.

Investigations by the working party are directed, inter alia, towards surface analyses of anti-fouling coatings and nano-structured coatings. With tensiometric measurements, scientists are also conducting research for the potential use of polymer-coated nano-particles and high-molecular-weight polymers in enhanced oil recovery. Prof. Verduzco’s team also studies the biomedical applications of liquid crystalline systems.

Matthew Hoover and Mark McCarthy from our US team, who, together with Prof. Verduzco, created the collaborative venture, are specially looking forward to the scientific exchange with the institute. “In order to support the institute’s interface research, we have provided the University with our Drop Shape Analyzer – DSA100 our cutting edge contact angle measuring instrument and our Force Tensiometer – K100. The scientists of Prof. Verduzco's team also use our Spinning Drop Tensiometer – SITE100 for measuring interfacial tension in the oil recovery sector”, Matthew Hoover states. “Furthermore, our US team can use the well-equipped laboratory for training and provide comprehensive consultancy to our customers from the southern region of USA.”